Château La Gaffelière 2011

Deep ruby-red. Perfumed red cherry, raspberry, violet and licorice on the nose. Tangy, rich and deep, with vibrant acidity lifting the red fruit and mineral flavors. Finishes smooth, bright and long. I find this offers a rare combination (for 2011) of generosity of texture and grip. 'We plan to increase the percentage of cabernet franc we use here,' said winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt. Currently, the wine is 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. Score - 90. (Ian D'Agata, vinousmedia.com, July 2014)